Life in America, Life falling in Love
by Iyosana-Hari
Summary: Book:The Crossing by Gary Paulsen  Locke didn't die. What happens when he runs into a certain cute little red head 2 years later in the street? Will love bloom like the surrounding flowers? Carppy summary, Read to be happier!
1. Run in

It had been around two years since Sergeant Locke had a near death experience. Not one day since the incident had he regretted it. It had ridded him of his misery as well as his hallucinations. And not one day did he regret saving that boy who face was practically missing from his memory.

He had seen the boy on more than one occasion. Granted, in most of them he was drunk but still, he never forgot a face. Except for the boy's. Although he had forgotten the name of the boy he had saved completely. The incident had hardly ever crossed his mind... until today. It was the second anniversary of the event and he couldn't help but wonder what happened to the boy as he wondered around El Paso. His mind was empty until he walked into a flower bush-no, a bouquet of flowers, carnations in fact.

"Es'cuse me, Senor! Buy some flowers for your someone?" Locke had backed up slightly but still couldn't see the boys face, for the boy held them up in front of him. He gently put his hand on the bushel of flowers, as not to damage them, and pushed them down slightly which the boy did not defy.

"Well? They are beautiful, si?" The red haired Mexican boy smiled at the Sergeant.

"Si." The Sergeant answered almost mockingly. He tried to remember this face; he had most definitely seen it before. "Almost as much as you." Locke walked off as he said the words.

"Wait!" The boy called out to the sergeant. "Do I know you from somewhere?" The sergeant turned, looking over the boy again.

"I don't know, do you?" Sergeant Locke was certain he knew the boy from somewhere, just not where. The boy had went wide eyed, pulling out a wallet, and out of the wallet something that looked like an ID of some kind. He looked at it then back at the sergeant, going pale.

"S-Si eres un fantasma?" The boy asked, only receiving a questioning look in reply.

"No Habla español." The sergeant replied, for he only really knew basic things in Spanish. The boy returned to his previous color yet maintained his "I've seen a ghost" face.

"Sorry, it was a stupid question anyway. Have you had any brothers or anybody that , you know, looks like you, die recently?" The boy asked.

"Nope, well, I almost did, but almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Thank god." It was the boy's turn to be confused. He had only heard one comparison as strange in his whole life.

"And you don't remember ever meeting me?" The boy asked giving the man a strange look.

"No." He turned around walking away now that the conversation had gotten weird.

"Hey! It's rude to walk away from a conversation, ya know!" The boy called out. "Pendejo…." Hearing the sad undertone of the boy's voice Locke turned back. Surprise clouded the boy's face when he noticed the sergeant had walked back up, and he became scared for a moment.

"Fine, give me some damn flowers then." Locke took out his wallet taking the money out and handing it to the boy. The younger smiled and handed him the flowers. "Happy?"

"Si!" The boy said gladly. The sergeant turned and started walking again. "Manny." The outburst surprised the sergeant and he turned to look at the boy again. "My name. It's Manny."

Locke's eyes shot wide open. He suddenly remembered where he had seen the boy. It was the boy he had helped. _Manny._

"Robert." He turned and started walking again. He wasn't sure if he had actually seen the boy, or if he would ever see him again. But did he really want to?

_It was awesome, reading The Crossing, but the end made me cry, so I had to write this! If you liked it, please review. If you didn't, please tell me why. Either I'll explain myself, or agree that I'm an idiot! ^_^_

_**And if you loved it and want me to continue, **__**Give Mega-Praise**__** in a Review and say so! Once I get **__**two**__** requests I'll work on another chapter!**_

Iyo: If you hated it, go *bleep* yourself in the *bleep* with a *bleep* you *bleeping* cynical *bleep*.

_Author: My alternate personality is wonderful isn't she?_


	2. Confusion

American Dream

Living in America had definately been different, especially the events of the previous day. It wasn't everyday you saw a dead man, and sold him flower. Manny cotemplated whether the Sargent could have been really or just a strange coincidence. It was unlikely, but was it really less likely than the man coming back from the dead? And a lot of people used strange phrases in America, it didn't mean it was the sargent!

Manny found himself thinking about the sargent often and especially at this time of year, when the man had died. Sargent Locke had done so much for young Manny and what had Manny done for him? What reason did the man have to be so kind to Manny? And Manny had gotten him killed! How could Manny not think about him? Not just leading him to freedom- Locke had also served as an example to keep Manny from ever picking up a liqour bottle. Not that he would be able to support such a habit. He spent most of his money on the rent for his tiny broken apartment, and he would in no way consider being homeless again. And his school friends assured him, the morning after drinking to much that he was missing out on nothing.

"Yo! Manuel! Where you at vato?"

"In here!" He called from the bedroom that branched off his "living space"/kitchen.

"Hey, you seem upset. What up?"

"Nah, it's nothing."

"Your pants are on fire, Mr. Liar."

"All I got from that is Mr. Liar... And I'm not lying, I'm fine."

"Oh, come on, mi hermando!" The taller boy whined, flopping onto the rickety bed, next to Manny, who winced at the creak it made. "I know you trust me more than this piece of crap bed."

"I think I saw him..."

"Who? Elvis? I TOLD YOU HE WAS ALIVE!"

"No, idiota! El sargento!" Manny sighed.

"You're kidding! Like as a ghost? OR IS HE ALIVE?"

"Alive, idiota! And be quiet!"

"Well whadid he say? Sweet Jesus, this is like a fairytale!"

"Well, nothing really..."

"Then how do you know he was alive?"

"He bought a bunch of flowers."

"From you? Then why did he not say anything?"

"Well not nothing he just didn't really remember me I guess."

"Did you tell him?"

"Not out right."

"Well, why not?"

"I just don't remember him being so..." Manny said, deciding to change the subject.

"So what, Handsome? You're older now, you don't notice peoples' looks when you're a kid."

"No..." Manny mumbled.

"Then, what?"

"So...sexy..."

"...Let's go to school!" The young man got up.

"But it's-" Manny mimicked.

"We'll go early!" The boy pulled Manny to the door.

"Fine! Damn, I'll get my coat!" Manny left locking the door behind him.


	3. Hitching

Run in

Locke was driving leisurely down the street, before stopping at a red light that was pretty slow. His thoughts, though, were outside of the car. _"Si eres un fantasma?"_:he hadn't remembered what that had meant at the moment he saw the boy, but it had something to do with ghosts, he knew that now but otherwise the question still confused him.

"I wish you would just hitch! It's not like anything will happen!"

"Hitch if you want, just don't haunt me when you get raped and murdered."

"Come on, it's way less dangerous with two of us. Just trust me, kay?" Locke heard the conversation at the corner praying they wouldn't ask him for a ride. "Perdón, señor ~!" No such luck. "Hey, Handsome. Think we could catch a ride?" He sighed.

"No-" Locke turned as he spit the sentence out of his mouth reluctantly, only to see the boy, the monkey….Manny, trying to silence the other boy. And it seemed like Manny saw him too, for he blushed to the point where he almost looked like a tomato. Locke didn't know what to say, and the light would change very soon.

"¡Idiota! Es él! Ese es el sargento!" Manny quietly scolded the boy. "Sorry, sir, we didn't mean to bother you." Manny gave his best pulling the other boy away as other cars honked. Locke gave in once more. He whistled to the boys who gave surprised stares.

" Well? Come on, Hop in!" Locke called unlocking his doors. The boys climbed in as told. The older boy whispered to Manny.

"No sé si se acuerda de ti, pero creo que él quiere follar ti." Locke twitched at the sentence. "I do not know if he remembers you, but I think he wants to fuck you"? Well at least he knew Manny remembered him. But why would the kid think he wanted to fuck Manny? Locke wasn't a prude but he wasn't going to have sex with someone he hardly knew. Especially not a _teenage boy_ he hardly knew. "Él sólo dije que sí porque él vio tu cara bonita."

"Get your mind out of the gutter kid. I don't sleep with people I hardly know. Especially not teenage boys. " The sergeant said gruffly, surprising both boys.

"Y-you understood that? I thought you didn't speak Spanish?" Manny exclaimed.

"First of all, calm….down. And second: It has been two years. You learned English." Locke sighed gently. "Now where am I dropping you guys off?"

"His place~!" The other boy sang, pointing to Manny. "So, doing him isn't a definite 'no'?"

"Alex! ¡Cállate!" Manny whined. The sergeant gave a small grin.

"I guess you could say that, but ultimately that's would be his choice."

"¿Qué?" Manny whimpered. Alex simply howled with laughter, but suddenly stopped to howl their location.

"Here we are! Gracias! It was nice to meet you!" Alex hopped out of the car leaving the two alone.

"Thank you, again… For everything. Bye."

"See ya around kid." Nodding Manny exited the car and Locke drove off, wondering why he knew he would see the boy around. Maybe he was just trying to make the boy feel better, but it just really felt like the truth to him.


End file.
